1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to illumination devices for skates and, more particularly, to a covering for a roller skate that incorporates a downwardly-directed LED illumination system.
2. Background Information
From roller skating to in-line skating to even ice skating, skating is a fun and healthful recreation and/or sport for many adults and children. Skating of all types is gaining in popularity especially because of the recognition of the healthful benefits such activity can bring. With popularity comes ingenuity. Some of such ingenuity has been directed towards providing illumination for skates.
Illumination can provide visual imagery for the skater and for people watching the skater. It can also provide aesthetic enhancement for the skater and/or skate. Moreover, illumination provides a safety factor when used at night. Because of this, various illumination systems have been developed for skates as well as other items such as skateboards, shoes, headbands and gloves.
However, with respect to skates, there are a number of prior art devices that are designed to provide illumination. For instance, U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0125595 by Salatino shows a skate light assembly that is interposed between a boot and the roller track of the skate. The skate light assembly includes a front light and rear light, with the rear light also being a switch. The front light directs light toward the front of the skate while the rear light directs light toward the rear of the skate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,055 issued to Wallace shows a powered lighting device for in-line skates and other sporting equipment wherein a battery case holding batteries is attached around the ankle of the skate. A flexible tube is attached to the battery case at one end and to a socket having a light bulb at the other end. The socket is affixed to the side of the skate shoe with a hook and loop material. The light bulb provides a forward directed light. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,734 issued to Talamo et al. shows a side light for an in-line roller skate. The side light includes a battery housing that is attached around the ankle of the skate and includes a transparent tube holding a plurality of light elements. The tube is attached the side of the wheel mount and include a front light as well as a plurality of side lights. The plurality of side lights provides side illumination of the skating surface. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,149 issued to Moore shows a skate light apparatus that includes a self-contained, battery powered light assembly and an adjustable bracket or an adjustable strap for connecting the light assembly to the skate. The light assembly includes a housing, battery pack, a light source, and a switch. The light assembly may also include a rotatable reflector and an electric motor for rotating the reflector.
Further examples of lighting systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,080 issued to Magle et al. Magle provides an indirect lighting system for roller skates and skateboards. The lighting system is mounted under the shoe section of the skate or on the underside of the skateboard for directing light down from the bottom of the skate/board onto the skating surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,164 issued to McInerney et al. shows an illumination system for roller skates, roller blades (in-line skates) or the like, that has a battery pack mounted to the back of the skate boot and a plurality of lights mounted along the side of the boot between a front headlight and a rear brake light. The lights are integral with the skate boot. The brake light is operable through the brake pad of the skate. The circuit wires may be embedded in the boot. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,515 issued to Beard shows a roller skate light attachment that is operable to be fitted between the toe stop and the toe stop support.
A problem with some of these prior art lighting systems is that they are integral with the skate. Therefore, since they are permanently a part of the skate, they cannot be removed in order to transfer the lighting system to another skate if desired. Moreover, this complicates the ability to repair the lighting system if something should go wrong.
A problem with other skate lighting systems is that they are either attached to the skate in an awkward manner or have components or elements that extend beyond the perimeters of the skate. In both instances, such lighting systems may be easily damaged during normal use. Moreover, such lighting systems can easily become detached from the skate.
In still other cases, the lighting system is more akin to a headlight on a vehicle rather than being aesthetically pleasing in nature.
It is therefore evident from the above that there is a need for a skate lighting/illumination system that can be easily removed and/or transferred to another skate.
It is therefore also evident from the above that there is a need for a skate lighting/illumination system that eliminates or reduces the chance of breakage during use.
It is therefore further evident from the above that there is a need for a skate lighting/illumination system that provides illumination on the skate in an aesthetically pleasing manner.